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The subject of study of this research is the assessment of vocational knowledge in the health andsocial care program in upper secondary school. The study focuses on the first period of workplacelearning in health and social care program, which mostly occurs in elderly care. Eight tutors invarious nursing homes and seven nursing teachers at three schools participated in the interviews. Thestudy was conducted using qualitative analysis grounded on socio-cultural theory. The purpose ofthis study was to examine how tutors and health teachers interact and assess skills and knowledge inworkplace-based learning. The study reveals core aspects of vocational knowledge in health andsocial care. Findings of the study allow identifying four different categories of vocationalknowledge: Relational-, Medical-, Organizational- and administrative- and Theoretical skills inworkplace learning. The study highlights various tools and situations used in the assessment ofvocational knowledge, such as various checklists, assessment forms and student self-assessment. Thestudy also showed situations that consisted of consulting colleagues, consulting health teachers andtutors. The results of the study shows that students` personal qualities such as sociable, empathetic,initiative taking and being punctual was highly valued in the assessment. The study also showeddifferences in the assessment made by health teachers and tutors. Health teachers strongly focus onthe key goals of the course when they assessed the student's professionalism, whereas the tutorsfocused more on personal qualities important in the field.

The purpose of this examination was to find how supervisors interpreted the terms vocational identity and vocational culture, found in the diploma goals in workplace-based learning at the Child- and Recreation Programme. To reach the purpose, I formulated questions that I answered through a qualitative study. I made six interviews with pre-school teachers who had been supervisors for students at the Child- and Recreation Programme. The informants answered the same questions and the answers were recorded. The result of the study showed that the supervisors made a fairly consistent interpretation of the terms. The conclusions in the study were that supervisors interpreted vocational identity as who you are at work, including issues of responsibility and security. The supervisors strengthened the vocational identities of their students by treating them in a positive way and they were able to see practical signs that the students had developed their vocational identity as they began to take responsibility in their work and dared to question the activities. The supervisors interpreted the concept of vocational culture as teamwork and the ability to have a holistic approach for children. The supervisors mediated the vocational culture by showing pride in their work and talking with the students. They were able to see concrete signs that the students had developed an understanding of vocational culture when the students weaved learning into everyday routines by talking with the children. / Syftet med mitt examensarbete var att ta del av hur handledare tolkar begreppen yrkesidentitet och yrkeskultur, som finns angivna i examensmålen för det arbetsplatsförlagda lärandet på barn- och fritidsprogrammet. För att uppnå syftet formulerade jag frågeställningar som jag sedan besvarade genom en kvalitativ undersökning. Jag intervjuade sex handledare för elever på barn- och fritidsprogrammet. Alla informanter svarade på samma frågor och svaren spelades in. Undersökningens resultat visade att handledarna gjorde en relativt samstämmig tolkning av begreppen. Några av de slutsatser som jag drog av min undersökning var att handledarna tolkade yrkesidentitet som vem man är på jobbet och i detta ligger även de båda begreppen ansvar och trygghet. Handledarna stärkte yrkesidentiteten hos sina elever genom att bemöta dem på ett positivt sätt och kunde se konkreta tecken på att elever utvecklat sin yrkesidentitet när de började våga ta ansvar och vågade ifrågasätta. De intervjuade handledarna tolkade begreppet yrkeskultur som arbetslagsarbete och helhetstänkandet kring barn. Handledarna förmedlade yrkeskulturen genom att de visade upp en yrkesstolthet och samtalade med eleverna och kunde se konkreta kännetecken på att eleven utvecklat förståelsen för yrkeskulturen när eleven vävde in lärandet i de vardagliga rutinerna genom att samtala med barnen.

Syftet med den här studien är få kunskap om yrkeselevers syn på arbetsplatsförlagt lärande (APL) Genom kvalitativa intervjuerna synliggjordes vad yrkeselever lär sig under APL-perioderna, utifrån elevernas perspektiv och deras uppfattningar. Frågeställningarna besvarade även hur de kunskaper de har omvandlades till lärande samt vikten att ta hjälp från andra för att få stöttning i sin utveckling inom det yrke de kommer att lära sig under sin utbildning. Den teoretiska utgångspunkten är situerat lärande med det sociokulturella perspektivet som utgångspunkt.  Resultatet visar på yrkeselevers upplevelser av vad, hur och med vilket stöd de lär sig om sitt blivande yrke under sitt arbetsplatsförlagda lärande. Det är tydligt att yrkeskunnandet och anställningsbarheten är viktiga områden att utveckla under det arbetsplatsförlagda lärandet. Det framkommer att eleverna har mycket kunskap med sig från skolan. På arbetsplatserna lär de sig att fråga om hjälp, öva upp sin snabbhet inom yrket och lära sig av sina misstag.  Erfarenheten hos andra yrkesutövare, till exempel handledaren, blir central och eleverna får möjligheten att tydligt se yrket som en helhet.  Interaktionen mellan elev och andra på arbetsplatsen behövs för att eleven ska kunna ta sig framåt i sin kunskapsutveckling. Här blir praktikgemenskapen viktig då den blir ett stöd för elevens fortsatta lärande. / The purpose of this study is to gain knowledge about the students' views on workplace-based learning (WBL). Based on the students' perspectives and their perceptions, their learning during the WBL was made visible, through qualitative interviews. The questions also answered how they have transformed their knowledge into learning, as well as the importance of getting help from others to get support in their development in the profession they will learn during their education. The theoretical perspective is situated learning with a socio-cultural perspective as the starting point. The result shows students' experiences of what, how and with which support they learn about their future profession during their workplace-based learning. It is clear that professional knowledge and employability are important areas to develop during workplace-based learning. It appears that the students have a lot of knowledge with them from school, but in the workplaces, they learn to ask for help, practice their speed in the profession and learn from their mistakes. The experience of other co-workers, such as the supervisor, becomes central and the students have the opportunity to obtain a clear view of the profession as a whole. The interaction between the student and others in the workplace is necessary for the student to be able to progress in its knowledge development. Here, the community of practice becomes important, as it becomes a support for the student's continued learning.

Universities in Zimbabwe have universally adopted a full-year integrated undergraduate student workplace-based learning pedagogy following the precedent set in 1991 by one pioneering university, the National University of Science and Technology. In this explorative study I analyse participants’ views, reflections and understanding of how the full-year model of workplace-based learning enhances quality academic practices and impacts on short, medium and long-term visions and opportunities for students and other stakeholders. I employed the embedded concurrent mixed methods research design (Creswell&Clark, 2007) using interviews with lecturers, university administrators and industry supervisors, as well as open-ended questions in three matched versions of a questionnaire to students, lecturers and industry supervisors respectively. The same questionnaire provided quantitative data that was statistically analysed. Interviews were conducted with 24 participants from the university under study, industry and other universities, while 363 university students, 40 NUST lecturers and 34 industry supervisors responded to the respective questionnaires. Students, lecturers and industry supervisors concurred on the coherence between industry experiences and university learning, the beneficial experiences at the workplace, and the relevance of those experiences to society, confirming the expressed view that industry-based learning promoted quality learning and teaching, and enabled students to become work-ready. However there were perceptions of inadequate student supervision and assessment, unsatisfactory student welfare safeguards, inadequate research enthusiasm among lecturers, and the lack of involvement of the whole spectrum of industry categories. There was an underlying regard for lifelong learning enabling societal transformation into the increasingly dominant industrialised culture. Lecturers indicated an appreciation for a holistic orientation to teaching and learning (Taylor, 2009), and were inclined towards adopting the hermeneutic approach to education (Danner, 2002). It is recommended, among other things, to revitalise effective practices through staff development efforts, increasing student knowledge and empowerment, and strengthening collaborative platforms between the university and its industry partners. Chief among the suggestions for future research is the understanding and promotion of student welfare during their placement in the workplaces. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Science, Mathematics and Technology Education / unrestricted

Syftet med denna masteruppsats är att söka en transformerande pedagogisk praktik omjämställdhet och jämställdhetsintegrering. Det är en studie av några pedagogersupplevelser och konsekvenser av motstånd i arbetsplatsbaserad undervisning omjämställdhet och jämställdhetsintegrering.Den svenska retoriken kring jämställdhet bidrar till att det inte talas om det motståndsom pedagoger möter, ett motstånd emot jämställdhet och jämställdhetsintegrering. Trefokusgrupper med totalt tretton deltagare har träffats runtom i Sverige och samtalat omundervisning och transformativ pedagogik utifrån frågeställningar kopplade till maktoch motstånd. Innehållsanalys har använts, framförallt med hjälp av Paulo Freiresbegrepp conscientização och Sara Ahmeds begrepp snap. Resultaten har relaterats tillMalin Rönnbloms dekonstruktion av svensk jämställdhetspolitik och rådandekunskapsdiskurs.De viktigaste resultaten handlar om att pedagogerna möter motstånd oavsett vilkenfråga som lärandet handlar om inom jämställdhet. Motståndet leder till känslor av blandannat trötthet, ledsamhet och ilska. Effekter av motstånd på undervisningen är blandannat att ämnet adresseras på ett avdramatiserande sätt för att förekomma motståndet.Resultaten synliggör ett behov av att använda den praktik och de erfarenheter somfinns i större utsträckning än vad som görs idag. Studien bidrar till en ökad förståelseför vilka konsekvenser motstånd får i arbetsplatsbaserad vuxenundervisning omjämställdhet.

The aim of this essay is to examine the supervisor’s view on the structure and content of the tasks given to students during their vocational training. The investigation could be of help for teachers when devising new vocational training tasks. The study is based upon qualitative interviews with five supervisors, all of whom work at preschools. The supervisors were asked to grade all the vocational training tasks on a scale from one (easy) to five (difficult). The results were then used as a starting point for a discussion with the supervisors about their grading of the tasks. When devising vocational training tasks, one of the foundations is the knowledge requirements as expressed in the syllabus, and how they are reflected in the vocational training. An important aspect of the student’s learning is the supervisor’s ability to clarify the goals and criteria of vocational training. The supervisor plays an important role and is responsible for the student’s vocational training period. This study has given me a better understanding of the supervisor’s view on the structure of the vocational training tasks and I have been given many useful suggestions as to how it can be improved to strengthen the quality of the education. The Swedish Schools Inspectorate carried out an investigation in 2011 and noticed shortcomings in the grading of the vocational training, which is interesting and relevant for my study. The supervisor assesses the student’s performance during the vocational training according to a certain scale of grades. The findings suggest that we need to revise the structure and assessment of the vocational training tasks. At the upper secondary school used in this study, the tasks are devised in a way that makes it difficult for the supervisor to support the student in his/her learning process, because the tasks are too numerous and the instructions contain many ill-defined terms. The supervisors also want closer contact with, and visits from, the upper secondary school teachers, so that both the former and the students can receive more feedback and better support. / Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka handledares syn på praktikuppgifternas utformning och innehåll. Undersökningen kan vara till hjälp för lärare när nya praktikuppgifter ska utarbetas. Arbetet bygger på fem kvalitativa intervjuer som har genomförts med handledare som är verksamma inom förskoleverksamheten. Handledarna fick göra en bedömning av praktikuppgifterna utifrån en svårhetsskala från ett till fem, där fem är mycket svår och ett är mycket lätt. Utifrån skalans bedömning samtalade vi kring varför de gjord den bedömningen. Vid utformning av praktikuppgifter är en av byggstenarna kunskapsmålen som kopplas till praktiken utifrån ämnesplanerna. En viktig del i elevens lärande är att handledaren kan tydliggöra mål och kriterier i det arbetsplatsförlagda lärandet. Handledaren har en viktig roll och ansvar för eleven under praktikperioden. Under undersökningens gång har jag fått inblick i hur handledarna ser på praktikuppgifternas utformning och fått bra förslag på hur de kan förbättras för att stärka kvalitén på utbildningen. Då skolinspektionen genomfört en kvalitets undersökning 2011 och sett brister i betygsättningen kopplat till praktiken är detta intressant och relevant att koppla till mitt arbete. Handledarna sätter omdöme på eleven under praktikperioden utifrån en betygsskala. Resultatet tyder på att vi behöver se över praktikuppgifternas utformning och bedömning innan eleverna går ut på praktik i höst. Som praktikuppgifterna ser ut idag i åk 1 på den för studien aktuella gymnasieskolan har handledarna svårt att stödja elevens lärande, uppgifterna består av många svåra begrepp samt att de är för många till antalet. Det finns också önskemål om tätare kontakt med skolan samt praktikbesök för att stötta och ge återkoppling till både handledare och elev.

The aim of this dissertation is to describe and critically discuss the literacies apprentice-students in the Health and Social Care Programme in the upper secondary school in Sweden are given access to during the workplace-based learning part of the education. The study draws on sociocultural understandings of learning and knowing, and on perspectives developed in the field of new literacy studies of literacies as situated social practices. Ethnographically inspired methods consisting of participant observation, interviews and study of textual artefacts in both the work and school domain are used to generate data. Literacy events and literacy practices students are given the opportunity to participate in are explored as a part of tasks in the work or school domain. Additionally, the literacies students do not gain access in these workplaces but are crucial in health care and social work are explored.  The results indicate that literacies in the work domain are to a large degree embedded in other work tasks. This contributes to making a large part of the reading and writing invisible for the students and their supervisors. Access to literacies at the workplace is not discussed between teachers and supervisors. A major finding is that students’ access to digital literacies in the work domain depends on the local culture of each workplace and on individual supervisor’s decisions, bringing questions of equality in the apprentice-education to the forefront. The digital literacies support central activities in the workplaces; not getting access to these practices raises questions about what kind of working life the apprentice-students are being prepared for. Thus the meaning given to the term employability, which is central in policy-documents for the apprentice education, seems to be enacted as preparing the students for a job in one position, rather than offering broad competences for advancement or changes in working life. School tasks can function in a compensatory way by introducing central texts in Health and Social care work for students, but writing these kinds of texts in the school domain are part of different literacy practices than when writing them in the work domain. Furthermore the schools have no possibilities to offer students access to the kinds of digital systems that are used in the work domain.

AbstractThe purpose of this study is to illustrate how Work-based Learning (WBL) is handled in Special Education High Schools. With this purpose in mind, four questions have been formulated and they focus on what proportion of the total amount of high school students in the Special Education High School National Program who is completing their WBL according to governmental regulations, what challenges the WBL managers experience in working with WBL, what reasons the WBL managers see as decisive for students not completing their WBL and what benefits the WBL managers see with WBL. To answer the study’s purpose and questions, a survey was conducted, where we looked for respondents on a nationwide level. Data from the survey was analyzed with the help of a theoretical basis that we chose. This theory was based on three different perspectives on special education; the compensatory, the critical and the dilemma perspective by Nilholm (2007). A total of 127 respondents were included in the study and there were respondents from all three parts of Sweden; Norrland, Svealand and Götaland. The majority of respondents work as vocational teachers, Special Ed teachers working with the developmentally disabled and high school level teachers. The results showed that compulsory WBL education is an important part of the Special Education High School National Program, but at the same time difficult to implement due to lack of time, lack of internships and students’ individual abilities to complete a WBL. / SammanfattningSyftet med denna studie är att belysa hur styrdokumentens krav när det gäller arbetsplatsförlagt lärande (APL) hanteras i gymnasiesärskolan. Kopplat till syftet har fyra frågeställningar formulerats och de fokuserar på hur stor andel av det totala elevantalet på gymnasiesärskolans nationella program som genomför sin APL enligt styrdokumentens krav i dagsläget, vilka utmaningar de APL-ansvariga upplever sig möta i arbetet med APL, vilka orsaker de APL-ansvariga ser som avgörande för att eleven inte genomför sin APL, vilken nytta de APL-ansvariga ser med APL. För att besvara studiens syfte och frågeställningar genomfördes en enkätundersökning, där vi sökte efter informanter på ett rikstäckande plan. Data från enkäten analyserades med hjälp av en av oss vald teoretisk utgångspunkt. Denna teori utgick från tre olika perspektiv på specialpedagogik; det kompensatoriska, det kritiska och dilemmaperspektivet av Nilholm (2007).  Det var sammanlagt 127 informanter som ingick i enkätstudien och det fanns informanter hemmahörande från alla tre landsdelar i Sverige, Norrland, Svealand och Götaland. Majoriteten av informanterna arbetar som yrkeslärare, speciallärare mot utvecklingsstörning och ämneslärare på gymnasienivå. Resultatet visade att den obligatoriska APL utbildningen är en viktig del av ett nationellt program i gymnasiesärskolan, men den är samtidigt svår att genomföra på grund av tidsbrist för uppdraget, brist på APL-platser och elevernas individuella förutsättningar att klara av en APL.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: With the coming of a new education and training dispensation in 1994 came the idea that equal opportunities for all learners could be created within different learning institutions - via the creation of new institutional and qualifications framework - and in so doing encourage equal opportunities through proper articulation, portability, and mobility within the different phases of the various education bands. As education and training provision and learning is complexly intertwined with its appraisal, assessment was regarded as one of the main processes to find out whether learning had taken place, on the goal and quality of that learning, as well as pointing to the kinds of ways in which teaching and learning could be further improved. In my study I focused on how educators and trainers within the differentiated Further Education and Training (FET) Band spoke about and understood assessment, with the aim of the study being to analyse how assessment is understood in three different sites of provision within the FET band. The main goal was to better understand challenges at the ground level of policy implementation. A further goal was to explore some of the ways in which the role and function of assessment in our contemporary society was understood, and whether, in its present formulation, it served the purposes that much of the policies and reform statements claimed. The study’s main claim is that educators and trainers in the FET Band in South Africa mainly experience assessment processes, criteria, and frameworks as a form of jargon, and that they translate ‘the jargon’ into ‘judgements of value’ about learning and knowledge that lead to quite different approaches being followed at different sites. It is argued that this scenario would be acceptable in terms of different work settings - producing different kinds of skills for the economy- were it not that the education and training infrastructure in South Africa remains perhaps too preoccupied with achieving a principle of similarity across the FET Band.